Clause 13 - Traffic regulation orders: enforcement
London Olympics Bill
4:30 pm
Hugh Robertson (Shadow Minister (Sport), The Family & Culture, Media & Sport; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 62, in clause 13, page 10, line 17, leave out '5' and insert '1'.
In the July briefing on the Bill that the Minister kindly arranged, we discussed this clause in some detail and it became apparent that a fine of level 5 on the scale is, perhaps unsurprisingly, five times greater than a normal fine. There is a body of opinion that motoring fines are already quite steep. Anyone who has had the pleasure of a close encounter with a speed camera would probably agree, three points and £60 later.
I understand why the Olympics will need a special transport lane, but I am not sure why that should be supported by a fine five times greater than a normal fine, which is already considered to be fairly steep. If any member of the Committee doubts that, they should think of the moment in the Olympics when they get a letter from the little old lady in their constituency who strayed into the Olympic route by mistake, probably not knowing it was there, who was caught by camera and who has now been hammered with a fine five times the normal amount. Think of the normal £60 fine and times it by five. That is an appalling prospect. We have all dealt with constituents like that, who would be exceedingly unhappy. Is not that rather heavy-handed? Is not there a more sensible approach? I accept that there must be sensible enforcement of the lanes, but I question whether a level 5 fine is not draconian.